


Alteration Altercation

by leatherandwolfsbane



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Canon Compliant, Established Relationship, M/M, Operation Kuron, season 5 musings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-02
Updated: 2018-03-02
Packaged: 2019-03-25 21:56:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13843824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leatherandwolfsbane/pseuds/leatherandwolfsbane
Summary: He has to know. He has to be sure. What would only Shiro know? What’s something he hopefully repressed from the Galra during his captivity? Something even the team doesn’t know, a fact they managed to keep private and safe during their mind melding?“When did we get married?”Shiro deflates, sighing. “We didn’t. You were only seventeen. I did give you a ring, though. And a promise with it."-----------Keith finds the cloning room and has to sort out the truth.





	Alteration Altercation

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little thought I had from the season 5 trailer. We'll see what really happens about four hours from now haha. I can't wait! This does tie in to Permanence of the Golden Sun a little bit, but reads as a stand alone.

It’s a room straight from his nightmares; that’s how he knows it’s real.

 

The lab’s hidden deep in druid territory on the ship.

 

Reality.

 

Harsh reality. 

 

_Clones_.

 

There are four Shiros in the room. Three are inactive in pods, perfect replicas all. Eerie. The last Shiro, the one that Keith can't take his eyes from - he's strapped down on a med table. There are cords and monitors everywhere, but only one line is currently hooked up to his arm. His hair is long, his uniform disheveled, signs of time and struggle if anything he sees is accurate. 

 

This discovery seems too easy. Did the druids know he was coming? He fought sentries guarding the door, yes, but did they intend for Keith to find this room? Find Shiro, _his Shiro_ , free of brainwashing? This must be the real Shiro. Voltron must have had the real Shiro with them until he vanished again. He had Ulaz’s code to reach the Blade of Marmora after all. The Blade headquarters must be in danger of attack now if Haggar had her hands on Shiro. Keith shoves that thought aside for later. One thing at a time.

 

Keith was so desperate to have Shiro back that he ignored all the warning signs. Little things that had been easy to write off given the intensity of their situation, but Keith knew Shiro. Every part of him. The Shiro at the castle wasn’t himself. 

 

Keith withdraws the IV, not sure how long he’ll need to wait for Shiro to respond. He needs answers. Keith’s sure there’s some level of surveillance in this room, so he’s hesitant to question Shiro here, but it’s also risky to leave with Shiro in tow. There are no good options.

 

As Shiro rouses, his eyes focusing on a familiar face, Keith steels himself to fight his instincts to comfort the man who comprises his entire world. He can’t be rash.  

 

"Keith. Keith, is that you?" 

 

“It’s me.”

 

Shiro doesn't seem disturbed by the sight of his doppelgangers surrounding him. Maybe Shiro's been tainted since Kerberos. 

 

“You found me. I knew you would. I never gave up hope.” His voice is dry and harsh.

 

Keith has to swallow back all of the emotions that threaten to overrun him. 

 

“I’ve been looking for you for so long.” He has to bait Shiro. He has to know.

 

“Why are you wearing a Marmora suit? Are you with them? Are you here with the red lion?”

 

Keith bites his tongue; he can’t answer that. _He can’t answer that_. It’s like a mantra.

 

“What’s the last thing you remember doing with us?” 

 

"We were going to take down Zarkon for good. The Olkari. Teleduv. Slav." There's a pause there as if this Shiro too knows how annoying the genius is. "I was so worried about you sneaking onto the Galra ship. But we had to take the system down to plant the virus. A suicide mission. You seem to keep taking those. And then the ship blew, and my heart stopped. But you were okay. We fought Zarkon, and I could feel your pride - your belief in me, your joy - when I got my bayard. I thought everything could be okay." 

 

Stop. _Stop_. Don’t give in. He has to know; he has to prove this is the genuine Takashi Shirogane. He needs more. 

 

Shiro’s not surprised that Keith’s asking questions. He’s not put off that Keith isn’t holding him tight and crying with relief.

 

_It’s not right. It’s not right._

 

Keith still holds his blade between them, but it would be knocked away instantly should it come to a fight. The angle is wrong; his grip is too light, yet too tense. Useless. Both he and Shiro know it; they’re the warriors. Shiro’s gaze flicks to the knife, eyes questioning and hurt, but Keith doesn’t relent.  

 

_He has to know. He has to be sure_. What would only Shiro know? What's something he hopefully repressed from the Galra during his captivity? Something even the team doesn't know, a fact they managed to keep private and safe during their mind-melding?

 

“When did we get married?” 

 

Shiro deflates, sighing. "We didn't. You were only seventeen. I did give you a ring, though. And a promise with it. We got out of class late. Iverson wouldn't stop blabbing on, and you could barely contain your laughter. I knew then how much I always needed you by my side." A rueful smile forms as Shiro looks up at Keith again. "I wish I could say I planned a special proposal, but the day was business as usual. We ate dinner at the cafeteria; we studied, talked. It wasn't until we decided to call it a night - you ditched protocol to sleep over, and curled up against me in bed. You just stared at me, both of us too excited to sleep but so comfortable and relaxed, feeding off the energy of just being in each other's presence. That's when I asked you. I held you in my arms, and I whispered it in your ear. The grin you gave me is something I'll never forget." 

 

Keith risks closing his eyes. He has to, or he'll let loose his tears. It's true. Every detail is correct. But had he kept that memory safe from Haggar? Is it his fiancé speaking to him, or not? 

 

Shiro seems to understand.

 

“So what is the other me doing?” 

 

“Leading Voltron as the black paladin and helping to build the coalition.” None of that is new information for the Galra Empire to overhear. It’s what this Shiro knows and what he could have relayed to Zarkon that’s the problem.

 

“Why aren’t you piloting Black?”

 

“You were undermining me. I didn’t want to lead; I only did it for you. But then you questioned my every action.”

 

“That doesn’t sound like me.”

 

Stop. _Stop_. 

 

“How did you find me? How did you know it wasn’t me?” 

 

_I still don’t_. “It was months after the fight. I found you drifting in a stolen Galra fighter. You were just off, tired. But it was different from when I first found you on Earth.” And he’s not sure which version is accurate. “Your stature was wrong, your voice, your look. Your anger. I know you better than anyone. It wasn’t you. Not my Shiro.” _I’m the only one you really need to worry about eliminating if you aren’t you_.

 

"It's as if Lotor and this Shiro are linked; every action Shiro commanded seemed to work in Lotor's favor. You kept trying to prevent me from going after him. Every step I took, every word I spoke, you beat me down. I had no choice but to leave, and you didn't try to stop me. No one did. They were only nice to me when they got to say goodbye - when the team got rid of me. And that was it. You were back in charge of Voltron, and they wanted nothing to do with me until Naxzela. Naxzela. You wanted to trap Voltron there." It's a realization that's hard to unpack.

 

Shiro is devastated. “Keith. That wasn’t me. I would never do that to you. Whatever Naxzela was, I would never treat the team that way.”

 

“I can’t believe you. I can’t trust anything you say.” 

 

Alarms start blaring. Their window is closing. 

 

“Keith, I love you. You’re the reason I’ve lasted this long. Every day in their grip was made bearable by thinking about making it back to you.”

 

Keith can’t stop shaking. “No. No, I can’t - ”

 

"I snuck our first kiss after a late night sparring session at the garrison. We took the bike all the way to the shore because you'd never seen the ocean before. You know that I can't cook anything, but I'll never stop trying because it reminds me of my grandmother. And it makes you smile. _Please, Keith_. Please.”

 

He’s fishing; Haggar must’ve been able to delve deeper than Keith thought. 

 

Shiro rises slowly, closing the distance between them. Keith’s breathing hard but doesn’t back away.

 

“Keith, you have the best instincts of all of us.” 

 

“No, I don’t.” It comes out as a whimper.

 

“You do for this. You function on trust. You survive because you trust yourself. You know your own heart. You know me better than anyone.”

 

He’s just saying what Keith wants to hear. _Can’t trust him. Can’t_.

 

But Shiro's so close. It would be the perfect opportunity for a clone to kill him, to be done with it, to take out the only person who's genuinely suspicious. But Shiro's hand is climbing his neck, tilting Keith's head towards him. His eyes are bright and clear. His face is getting awfully close.

 

The kiss is light at first, seeking permission just as vigorously as it aims to remind, to convince. Keith breaks, and the kiss deepens. They meld into each other.

 

For the first time in months, _months_ , Shiro’s touch feels right. Shiro’s hand on his shoulder had felt like an anchor before, but in the time past it’s been heavy and hard, weighing Keith down. This Shiro’s touch is light, yet scorching. Keith burns. It’s right.

 

He speaks against Keith's lips. "Your ring is silver and hematite. You hide it under your glove. You thought it would be funny if it were silver and gold, like our names, but I knew the stone was perfect for you. "

 

A whisper leaves him before he can help it, “Takashi.” 

 

Keith can hear pounding feet approaching.

 

“We have to go.” 

 

Keith has made his decision. His focus shifts to the escape ahead. He wraps an arm around Shiro’s waist and moves to exit. Now that they’re leaving, they need to go. Fast. Together.

 

"Wait. We have to destroy them. They would work against us." Panic grips Keith, twisting his insides to the core. The clones. Shiro is glaring at them. 

 

Could he kill the image of his love? If they aren't Shiro, it shouldn't be too hard. It would no doubt leave a scar in his mind, but he could handle it if it meant he and the real Shiro were free from all this. But…a clone would want to eliminate its original form.

 

Keith’s head pounds.

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr is lionsgane. I'll be live blogging season 5. Come freak out with me.


End file.
